New Experiences #13 - #15
As you may have noticed if you are a regular reader, these posts can be very long and I’m very sorry for this. I can only blame the quality and quantity of the experiences I’ve been fortunate enough to have for the amount I want to say. I will endeavour to be more succinct in the future, but my half term dosage hasn’t inspired such writing. Keep strolling to the bottom and add your suggestions for my next new experiences please!
W/C 13th February 2012
New Experience #13: Meeting The Head Of A Charity
Late last year I became a member of the Oxfam Cymru Youth Action Board and have since attended monthly meetings at the Cardiff HQ to discuss Oxfam campaigns and youth strategy and to meet various employees. I have also put on a gig for the charity, please see New Experience #8. During this month’s session we had the privilege of meeting the head of Oxfam GB, Dame Barbara Stocking, who was visiting Cardiff to launch the new fundraising partnership between the charity and the Co-operative.
Overseeing the whole charity in the UK, her high-pressure job includes working on campaign strategies, dealing with politicians and the media and visiting projects in Britain and abroad (the “fun bit”). She is, as you’d expect, very up to date on world issues and with her broad ranging knowledge and contagious enthusiasm, she lit up the room. Barbara wanted to know how Oxfam could best relate to young people at a time of such high youth unemployment and we discussed a number of ideas with her as we finished off a very tidy buffet lunch. Her diverse range of anecdotes often made me put down my sarnie, which shows just how much she impressed me.
Rating: 5/5. A seriously switched on individual, she left me inspired to keep up my efforts for Oxfam and to work for a charity in the future.
New Experience #14: Cooking A Three Course Meal In A Half-Term Come Dine With Me
Although I’ve never sat through a whole episode of the TV show, when two friends, Gareth and Hannah, suggested doing Come Dine With Me over the half-term break I could only say yes. It was the perfect opportunity for me to cook a three course meal for the first time, within the relatively forgiving company of mates. Over three consecutive evenings, we each took our turn as host and after a competent opener from Gareth and a confident Valentines Day soire from Hannah, it was my time to feel the heat in the kitchen.
Sending out invitations via text (“bring tolerant taste buds”), my evening was hat themed and on the morning of the big night, I spent about an hour laying out candles and choosing appropriate backing music to create the perfect ambience. When it comes to such things, I feel the need to really ham it up. When it came to probably the most important part of the evening, the food, such an idiom is not appropriate as we had a vegetarian in our midst. However, I dug out a Good Housekeeping recipe book to find something meat-less but, hopefully, delicious and here’s what I settled on:
- A starter of carrot and orange soup, served with toasted flat breads and fresh coriander
- A main course of roasted vegetable couscous with slow-grilled haloumi, served with a side salad and olives.
- A dessert of chocolate fairy cakes served with Wall's best vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of chilled raspberry coulis and a helping of fresh raspberries.
As not something I often do, the stress of cooking for other people got to me somewhat and timing the making of three courses, something I’ve never done alone, was challenging. I also forgot how much I hate cutting onions, and resorted to putting on a pair of swimming goggles to protect my eyes. However, I just about pulled it off and the meal went down well. So well in fact that I was narrowly crowned as victor by the other two ‘competitors’. who cited my atmospheric lighting as the deciding factor. With the winning prize a ticket to see The Descendants on the last night, I was able to see sit through the film with the relief of having not setting fire to the kitchen or caused any major food poisoning. George Clooney has never looked so good.
Rating: 5/5. I enjoyed the company of two brilliant people, learnt three new recipes and got to play host with the most, or at least with the scented candles, for a whole evening. I recommend to all.
New Experience #15: Sipping Nettle Tea
Or should I say spitting out nettle tea. I’m usually a very open-minded tea drinker as I have tried various varieties as part of the monthly Tea Appreciation Club I attend with friends in various Cardiff locations. This has recently been forced to be renamed Hot Beverage Club after one member sneakily began ordering coffee.
Although nettle tea has been recommended to me by a number of usually reliable sources, the cup I tasted left a more than unpleasant aftertaste and not a particularly tasty before-taste either. I know I shouldn’t judge the whole concept on just one cup, but unless I’m stuck out in the wilderness with the urge for a cuppa and happen upon a kettle, a teapot, a cup, a water source, and an electricity supply anytime soon I think I’ll stick to my usual brew. Oh and the wilderness would, obviously, need nettles too. And I’d need gloves to pick them safely.
Rating: 1/5 - It’s not worth the hype or the hassle.
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